named after a famous collection of short stories by argentian author jorge luis borges, ‘the aleph residences’ are UK-based foster + partners first completed project in latin america. the aleph, a term defined by borges as the space that contains all other spaces, is an apartment complex representing the first phase of a redevelopment plan for the whole of puerto madero, an industrial port area of buenos aires. the completed complex would integrate living spaces with hotels, recreational areas and community commons. taking advantage of the site’s proximity to green spaces and the rio de plata, the widest river in the world, the nine storey apartment block is penned as a conscious effort to integrate sustainable building practices in argentina. entrepeneur alan faena teamed up with the pritzker prize winning architect and berdichevsky-cherney architects to redefine porteño living and create an identity for the faena arts district. the project integrates new construction, like the aleph, with the refurbishment of existing buildings. the exterior of the apartment building’s exterior is exposed vaulted concrete with a repeated set of projecting or set back balconies fitted with solar screens and glazed balustrades. each unit’s facade has particular adjustments to protect the apartments from the varying intensities of the port-side sun.

wooden screens offer privacyimage courtesy faena group

image courtesy faena group

the 50 residences appropriate the size-conscious typology of the uniquely argentinan casa chorizo which places rooms in a straight line covered with exterior doors and awnings with a thin exterior hallway and patio. the result is a great quality of interior light and passive ventilation. the casa chorizo became common for multi-tenant buildings and was posited to be the solution to the argentinian housing crisis at the beginning of the twentieth century; however, in the context of the aleph, the movable screens, double height patios, vaulted ceilings and split-level spaces are given a luxurious twist.

LOG IN VIA

designboom's comment policy guidelines
generally speaking, if we publish something, it's because we're genuinely interested in the subject.
we hope you'll share this interest and if you know even more about it, please share!
our goal in the discussion threads is to have good conversation and we prefer constructive opinions.
we and our readers have fun with entertaining ones.
designboom welcomes alerts about typos, incorrect names, and the like.
the correction is at the discretion of the post editor and may not happen immediately.

what if you disagree with what we or another commenter has to say?
let's hear it! but please understand that offensive, inappropriate,
or just plain annoying comments may be deleted or shortened.

- please do not make racist, sexist, anti-semitic, homophobic or otherwise offensive comments.
- please don't personally insult the writers or your fellow commenters.
- please avoid using offensive words, replacing a few letters with asterisks is not a valid workaround.
- please don't include your website or e-mail address in your comments for the purpose of self-promotion.
- please respect jury verdicts and do not discuss offensively on the competition results
(there is only one fist prize, and designboom usually asks renown professionals to help us to promote talent.
in addition to the awarded designs, we do feel that almost all deserve our attention, that is why we publish
the best 100-200 entries too.)

a link is allowed in comments as long as they add value in the form of information, images, humor, etc.
(links to the front page of your personal blog or website are not okay).
unwelcome links (to commercial products or services of others, offensive material etc. ) will be redacted.
and, ...
yes, spam gets banned. no, we do not post fake comments.